Goddess in My Pocket"
by Darkfaery64
Summary: Jonathan finds a statue of the Egyptian Goddess, Selket.


"Goddess in My Pocket: A Mummy Tale"

**"Goddess in My Pocket: A Mummy Tale"**  
by Christina Teresa

****

Introduction

This addendum to The Mummy takes place directly after the end of the film and follows our heroes-- particularly Jonathan-- back to Cairo for a little romantic adventure. "Goddess in My Pocket" is just a bit of fun and is not intended to infringe upon any copyright owned by Universal Studios. Original story and characters © Copyright Christina Teresa, July 1999. Comments are encouraged and appreciated. Please email me at [cteresa@earthlink.net][1]

*

Jonathan Carnahan wanted to cry. He had just had the worst, most frightening day of his life and all he had to show for it was hole in his arm and a smelly camel-- oh, and a future brother-in-law. 

He grinned in spite of himself as he absent-mindedly swiped at a fly buzzing around his face. Rick O'Connell was a first-rate chap and had already proved he would be willing to die to protect his baby sister, Evie. But even an addition to their small family was hardly consolation for all that hell he'd gone through-- not to mention all that treasure he'd lost. 

"It's just not bloody fair," he whimpered. 

Behind him he could hear O'Connell ask, "Evelyn, does he always whine like that?"

"Always." 

"I heard that!" Jonathan snapped. 

As they traveled back to Cairo from Hamunaptra for the second time in as many days, Jonathan had made a point of riding his camel in front of O'Connell and Evie's so he wouldn't be subjected to their sickening-sweet, romantic nonsense. As he became more and more immersed in self-pitying misery, he fell behind their camel. Instead of trying to overtake them again, he tried to concentrate on the animal's backside rather than the couple.

In the fading sunlight of the desert, Jonathan thought he saw a glimmer of something popping out of a bag draped over the camel's back. He was certain he must be imagining it but rode alongside their camel to get a closer look. It looked like… no, it couldn't be. He reached out and touched it and met with the unmistakable feeling of solid gold. He leaned in farther in an attempt to reach into the sack, but lost his balance and fell off his camel onto the none-too-soft desert floor below. 

Evelyn whipped around to glare at him over O'Connell's shoulder and almost caused both herself and Rick to join her brother on the sand. "Jonathan, what are you doing back there?"

Jonathan picked himself up, dusted himself off and pointed at the back of their camel. "It's-- it's gold, Evie." 

"I think someone's been out in the desert too long," Rick said in a condescending, sing-song tone. 

"I'm not kidding, O'Connell. Just stop a bit and see for yourself." 

Rick sighed as he brought the animal to a halt, helping Evelyn then himself to the ground.

Jonathan's eyes were glazed over with greed as he ran to meet them. He reached inside the bag, heedless of any danger, and pulled out a handful of solid gold baubles. "Just look. I told you it was gold!" 

Rick smiled broadly. "I'll bet you this is-- was-- my ol' pal, Beni's swag." 

"God bless the poor bastard!" Jonathan held his handful of treasure to his heart. "It's all mine now." 

"Ours," Rick and Evelyn said in unison. Rick held out his hand. "Give it over, Jonathan." 

He looked to his sister, pleading with his eyes but she just folded her arms across her chest and said firmly, "Be a good boy and give him the treasure, Jonathan. As soon as we get back to Cairo we'll split it evenly. There'll be plenty for all of us." 

*

Much to Jonathan's impatient annoyance, Evie insisted he see a doctor as soon as they arrived in Cairo-- to get his arm patched up properly-- before they split up the treasure. By the time they finally reached their little house, Jonathan had already spent the treasure three times over in his mind. 

O'Connell spread the treasure out on the floor of their living room. It was so beautiful Jonathan wanted to lie down and wallow in it, but a stern look from Rick made him behave himself. 

As they sifted through the treasure, Jonathan's covetous eye was caught by a beautiful figurine. It was about as large as his hand and solid gold. A beautiful woman in a form-fitting gown with a golden scorpion perched on top of her head. He recognized her as one of the many Egyptian goddesses, but couldn't for the life of him remember which one. 

Jonathan held the dainty goddess figurine in his trembling hand, a look of ecstasy on his face. 

"I think he likes her," Rick said, "do you think we should let him keep her?" 

Evelyn considered it a moment. To Jonathan's surprise and irritation, she snatched the figurine out of his hand. 

"Give it back, Evie!" 

"You can have her under one condition. Tell me who she is." 

"Oh, Evie, you've got to be joking. This is no time for one of your silly tests." 

"Well, if you can't tell me who she is, then-" she pulled the figurine farther out of his reach when Jonathan tried to grab for it, "I don't think you deserve her." 

Jonathan appealed to O'Connell, but the adventurer shrugged. "You heard the lady." 

"Oh, all right." He tapped his forehead furiously. "Oh, dammit, I know this one…Ummm, she's ahh, the scorpion goddess!" 

"Her name is…?" 

"Her name is… Sekmet, no that's the lion-headed bird." He frantically snapped his fingers as if that would jog his memory. In fact it did just that. "Selket!" 

Evelyn smiled, pleasantly surprised. "Very good, Jonathan. It's nice to know your education wasn't a complete waste of time." 

Jonathan ignored the insult. "May I have my goddess now?" Evelyn handed the figurine back to her brother. 

"So, what, this Selket is the goddess of scorpions?" Rick asked. 

"No, the scorpion is just her symbolic animal." Evelyn easily fell into her lecturing mode. "In fact, she was one of the four funerary goddesses who looked after the different parts of the body after it was interred. I believe Selket was in charge of the intestines." 

Rick made a face. "Lovely." 

Jonathan was positively giddy. "How much do you think she's worth?" 

Evelyn scowled. "Well, if you're going to be so crass as to sell her, I imagine she'll fetch… one hundred thousand pounds." 

"At least," Rick added. 

Jonathan fainted. 

*

Jonathan recovered quickly and spent the next few hours sitting in an overstuffed chair in the parlor, pouring over his cut of the booty. There were coins, jewelry, trinkets-- all solid gold, all beautiful. But his eyes never strayed far from his crowning jewel, Selket. She was almost too beautiful to sell. Maybe he'd hold onto her until he'd gone through the rest of his fortune. It would take even him many years to spend this much treasure. 

He looked up as he caught a snatch of Evie and O'Connell's conversation. To his utter amazement, Rick and his baby sister weren't making plans to spend their treasure. They had already tucked their shares away and were discussing the fate of the decimated Museum of Antiquities. 

"Evie, you're not serious about going back there, are you?" 

"I most certainly am serious, Jonathan. I have a responsibility to get the museum in some kind of order for the new curator before we return to London." 

"And I'm going to help her," Rick said as he put his arm around her. 

Jonathan shook his head in disbelief. "Where are your priorities, you two?" 

"Our priorities?!" Evelyn replied in exasperation. "Honestly, Jonathan, I had hoped that our recent adventure would have instill some sense of something-- anything-- remotely resembling responsibility in you, but I suppose it was too much to ask for." 

Jonathan had heard this lecture a hundred times before in some form or another, but it never bothered him like it did this time. After all, he had helped save her from being sacrificed by a 3000-year-old mummy just the other day and thought that should count for something. He gathered up his treasure and stood, looking wounded. "If anyone wants me, I'll be at the Continental Hotel." 

Evelyn sighed and rolled her eyes. "You can sulk here, if you must. I don't want you to leave." 

"No, Evie, you don't understand. It's no fun being irresponsible at home," he said as he marched down the hall to his room to pack. He stashed most of his treasure in his secret hiding place under the floorboards, but shoved a few pieces in his pocket. He put Selket in the breast pocket of his coat for safe keeping. He marched back into the parlor, suitcase in hand, and was irritated further by the barely suppressed smiles on both their faces. "I'm off to be irresponsible all over Cairo." 

"Jonathan, please," Evie called after him as he made for the front door. 

"Let him go," he heard O'Connell say, "I'll check on him later."

*

Jonathan's first stop after checking into the Continental was at a money lenders to change some of his gold into cash. He knew he could have gotten much more for his trinkets from a collector of ancient Egyptian artifacts, but he had used all his money to pay off a substantial tab at the hotel's cocktail lounge and need more fast. 

After that, he made his way to Akmed's Place. It was no fun showing off his new-found wealth in the hotel's bar. All the patrons were --or at least, pretended to be-- as well off as he. He wanted to show old Akmed and the denizens of his seedy casbah that Jonathan Carnahan had finally made something of himself. He patted the inside breast pocket of his coat just to make sure little Selket was still there. 

It had been only two weeks since his last bender at Akmed's, but it seemed like an age after his adventure in the desert. Life certainly promised to be easier for him in the future, but after Hamunaptra it was bound to be a bit boring. 

Old Akmed was at the bar, as usual, watching every penny that came in. At first sight of him, he hurled an Egyptian curse and motioned to the bouncer to throw the Englishman out. Jonathan waved a half dozen bills at the toothless old geezer and Akmed promptly called off his goon. 

"Who did you steal this from, you godless pig?" Akmed asked casually as he snatched the bills out of Jonathan's hand. 

"I didn't steal it, you old windbag. I'll have you know I earned every penny." 

Akmed laughed out loud. 

Jonathan glared at him. "Just give me a bottle of your best bourbon and shut up." He then wandered into one of Akmed's private back rooms and slumped down on a pile of cushions. Jonathan had money, a bottle of his favorite liquor, and future that promised nothing but a life of leisure. Why did he feel so gloomy? 

He pulled Selket out of his pocket and placed her on the low table in front of him. He poured himself a drink, raised his glass to the beautiful little golden goddess and took a sip. "Don't worry, darling, I won't sell you, " he told the statue, "well, probably not." 

There were no windows in the room, but a tiny shaft of sunlight came through a small hole in the wall and shined on the table. For no reason in particular, Jonathan nudged Selket an inch or so to the left so that she was bathed in sunlight. If possible, she looked even more stunning. The rays of light appeared to be shooting from her hands and the scorpion on the top of her head. 

Just as he took another sip, there was a brilliant flash of light that engulfed the entire room, causing Jonathan to shield his eyes. When he was able to see again, there was an impossibly beautiful woman standing in front of him. 

The woman's almost transparent ancient Egyptian gown hugged every curve of her voluptuous body. Her bluntly cut dark hair brushed her shoulders and framed her exquisite face. Jonathan-- if he had been able to speak at that moment-- would have said that she was the most gorgeous woman he had ever seen, but he was distracted by the rather large scorpion crawling up her arm. 

"You may rise," she said regally. 

Jonathan managed to get to his feet, but had trouble finding his voice. "What-- you-- no-- oh my--" He glanced down at the table and, sure enough, Selket the Statue was gone.

"What is the matter," the woman said, grinning, "Bast got your tongue?"

"S-Selket?"

"Of course, I am Selket," she said matter-of-factly, "you are the one who brought me to life with the power of the sun. Who else would I be?" She took a step towards him but he flinched. She glanced at her scorpion then back at him. "She will not sting you--"

"Jonathan," he supplied.

"Jon-a-than." She nodded her approval. "It is an odd name, but I will become accustomed to it in time."

"Is that a woman's voice I hear, you son of a hog?!" It was Akmed bellowing through the curtain. 

"Oh no!" Jonathan frantically scanned the room for an escape route, but there was no door or window. Akmed's wasn't a strictly Muslim establishment-- he catered to the European set and that meant alcohol-- but under no circumstances were women allowed. "Selket, you've got to hide!" But there was nowhere to hide. 

Akmed rushed in, followed by his gorilla of a bouncer. "You insult me by bringing this harlot in here!" 

Jonathan pulled Selket behind him. "If you would just let me explain--" 

"I don't know how you got her in here, you son of a whore--"

"Actually," Jonathan said in his friendliest tone, "it's a rather interesting story."

"You!" Akmed roared, grabbing him by the shirt front, "get out now! If I ever see your face in here again it will be the last time anyone sees your face anywhere!" 

Jonathan took Selket by the hand and started to leave, but the bouncer grabbed the goddess roughly by the arm. Her pet scorpion fell to the floor and scuttled under the hem of it's mistress' gown. "Not so fast, harlot. I'll teach you to stay in the whorehouse where you belong."

"Let go of her!" Jonathan tried to release her from the bouncer's grip, but the much larger man easily threw him across the room and into the table. 

Selket screamed in rage. Instantly, she transformed herself into a giant scorpion with a woman's head. She hissed at the two men and waved her tail dangerously. Akmed ran from the room in terror, but the bouncer pulled a gun on her. Before he could fire, Selket touched him with her lethal stinger and the man dropped dead. 

A second later, she changed herself back into the beautiful woman she was a moment before. She picked up her scorpion with one hand and held the other out for Jonathan. "We must go quickly before the other one returns with more men."

He hesitated briefly then took her hand. He supposed if she was going to kill him she would have done so already. Besides, there was something about her that set her apart from the mummy, Imhotep, and his ghouls. 

As if to confirm Jonathan's thoughts, Selket stopped to touch the bouncer on his chest as they were leaving. A warm glow emitted from her hand and, suddenly, he began to stir. She smiled. "He will recover."

*

Jonathan wrapped Selket in his jacket and rushed her back to his sumptuous suite at the Continental. She sat down on the divan and amused herself by watching her scorpion crawl up her arm. He caught a glimpse of himself in the mirror and noticed a nasty cut on his forehead from the fight. 

He would have made himself comfortable next to the beautiful goddess, but the scorpion on her arm made him think otherwise. "Perhaps we should get a little box for it," he suggested uneasily.

"Her," Selket corrected.

"Perhaps we should get a little box for her. Wouldn't want the old girl to get stepped on, now would we?"

She shook her head seriously. "No, of course not."

He scanned the room, but the only box he found was full of several bottles of very old scotch. He dumped the contents in a corner and placed the box on the table.

Selket looked inside the empty box skeptically. "She would like sand in her box."

"Sand. Well, this is Egypt, isn't it." He laughed nervously. "Full of sand." He grabbed the box and made for the door. "I'll just step outside then and... get some sand." He closed the door behind him, but immediately opened it again. "You will be here when I get back?"

She smiled warmly. "I will be here."

He started to leave again but she stopped him.

"She is hungry."

"Oh, poor old girl. Well, then I'll just fetch her a little something to eat. Uh, by the way, what do scorpions eat?"

Selket stroked the scorpion's back lightly. The animal wriggled its tail in response. "She would like a mouse." 

"A mouse?"

She nodded. "A live one."

"Of course." Jonathan smiled a sickly smile. "One live mouse coming up."

After one sanded box and a disgusting venture into the hotel's kitchen for one live mouse, Jonathan returned to his room and found Selket waiting. After the scorpion was properly housed and fed, Selket bestowed a look of gratitude on him that would have reduced the most stalwart of men to a quivering mass. Jonathan felt as if he was going to faint.

"She likes you."

He grinned like an idiot. "Oh, well, isn't that grand!"

She moved in a little closer. "I like you, too. You are a very kind man. And very brave." She touched the cut on his forehead lightly. Jonathan couldn't tell, but at her touch the cut miraculously disappeared. "Thank you for trying to protect me."

All of his usual bravado drained away. "I'm afraid I didn't do a very good job of it."

She smiled. "As you have seen, I can protect myself. It is your effort that matters most to me."

He looked away as he felt himself blush. That was about the nicest thing anyone had ever said to him. He was saved an awkward response by a knock at the door. "Who is it?"

"It's Rick, open up."

Jonathan rolled his eyes. "It's just a friend, darling, stay right there."

He opened the door a crack, "Good to see you O'Connell, but I am rather busy--"

"I'll say." Rick espied the sheerly clad Selket over Jonathan's shoulder. "Spending your money all in one place I see."

It took a moment for Jonathan to realize what he was getting at. "Are you implying that I-- that she--? Well, I never!"

Rick snorted and grinned. "Yeah, right. Hey, nothing to be embarrassed about. Even I on the occasional lonely night...you know what I mean," and then in a conspiratorial whisper, "just make sure she doesn't roll ya."

"Was there a particular reason for your visit?" Jonathan asked huffily.

"Oh, yeah, Evelyn wanted me to check on you. Make sure you hadn't done anything stupid." He winked. "I'll think of something to tell her." O'Connell turned and walked down the hall.

Jonathan closed the door and looked at Selket sheepishly. 

"That is the second time today I have been mistaken for a prostitute," Selket remarked wryly. "Perhaps it is my costume?"

"Well, before we go out again we should get you something a little less revealing to wear. But believe me, you don't look like any, uh… lady of the evening I've ever seen. Not that I've seen many, you understand," he added quickly. Jonathan sighed heavily, suddenly miserable. "I suppose it's just hard for anyone to imagine a woman like you would be seen with someone like me if I wasn't paying you."

She glided toward him, took him by the arm, and led him to the divan. "I think that is very silly."

For the first time it seemed, Selket noticed the bandage wrapped around his left hand. She removed the dressing and made concerned noises at sight of the wound.

"Had a run-in with a flesh-eating beetle the other day." He shuddered at the memory.

"You are very lucky to be alive."

Jonathan nodded and swallowed hard. "O'Connell-- the chap that was just here-- he, uh cut it out when it ran up my arm and got about there..." he trailed off because as he was describing the scarab's path, Selket ran her hand up his arm and casually opened his shirt to reveal the exit wound a few inches above his heart. 

Selket removed the bandage on his chest, put one hand on each wound, and closed her eyes. After a moment, Jonathan felt what he could only describe as the warm heat of the Egyptian sun coming out of her hands, traveling up and down his arm and into his chest. A few moments later she removed her hands and said, "All better."

And indeed it was. To his amazement the injuries were gone. "Thank you."

She continued to gaze at him expectantly. She obviously wanted him to make a move, but he hesitated. Selket was a goddess, after all; she was bound to be disappointed in him. He recalled her words, _It is your effort that matters most to me_, and hoped that extended to sex as well. 

Jonathan put his arms around her and pulled her close. In his anxiety, he kissed her rather clumsily, but she didn't seem to mind. She wrapped her arms around his neck returned the kiss. They sat there holding each other and kissing for what he thought was a very short time, but when he glanced at the clock on the mantle, he discovered three hours had past. 

When Jonathan took her by the hand and led her to the bedroom, Selket did not protest.

*

Jonathan awoke with a start. He looked down and saw Selket draped across his chest, still asleep. "It wasn't a dream," he breathed. He had actually made love to this beautiful Egyptian goddess most of the night-- he hadn't imagined it. He put his arms around her and hugged her gently.

She awoke and gazed up at him. She looked as happy as he felt.

Over breakfast, Jonathan told her, "I want you to meet my sister, Evie."

He made a quick trip home and borrowed one of Evelyn's outfits for Selket to wear. The skirt and blouse were a bit tight, but they would do for now. Jonathan had suggested that Selket leave her scorpion in the hotel room, but she insisted on bringing the makeshift terrarium with them.

Jonathan, still in a romantic fog, took Selket to the Museum of Antiquities to meet Evelyn and Rick. The two couples met in the foyer of the museum, but before Jonathan could make introductions, Rick pulled him aside.

"Jonathan," said Rick quietly, "I don't think you understand how this works. You're not supposed to bring her home to meet your sister. You're supposed to pay her and send her on her way."

"You're the one who doesn't understand, O'Connell," Jonathan said loud enough for his sister to hear. "For your information, Selket is not a lady of the evening."

"Selket?" Rick and Evelyn said in unison.

"Yes, Selket. You remember the lovely little statue, well here she is in the flesh." Ignoring their protests, Jonathan continued, "Selket, I'd like you to meet my sister, Evelyn, and her betrothed, Richard O'Connell."

Selket gave them both an awkward smile.

"Jonathan," said Evelyn in irritation, "this is by far the most ridiculous practical joke you've ever pulled."

"It's no joke, Evie." Jonathan related Selket's amazing transformation from statue to woman in Akmed's back room. "If you don't believe, just look." He showed his sister his perfectly intact left hand. "She_ healed _me."

"That's impossible."

"Evie, after what we've been through, I would think you would have learned that anything is possible."

As brother and sister argued, Selket left Jonathan's side to look around the room. At first, she was enchanted by all the familiar objects on display, but when she saw a mummy encased in glass she cried out in horror.

Jonathan rushed to her side. "What's wrong?" He saw what she was staring at and immediately understood. "Oh dear."

"Jonathan, you and your sister are no better than grave robbers!" She sounded more hurt than angry, but he remembered the incident at Akmed's yesterday and knew her mood could change very quickly. 

"Well, technically speaking, I-I can understand why you would think--"

Before their eyes, the beautiful goddess and her pet scorpion merged into one, giant-- not to mention, deadly, scorpion with Selket's head.

Out of the corner of his eye, Jonathan saw O'Connell draw his revolver. "NO!" He grabbed Rick's arm and the fired bullet went harmlessly through the ceiling. 

Jonathan approached Selket gingerly. He was shaking all over, but tried to sound calm. "Please, let me explain." 

"Where did you find me?" Selket screamed, "whose tomb did you steal me from?"

"We found you near Hamunaptra after we destroyed the mummy, Imhotep." Jonathan quickly went on to describe their adventure and explained about the gold-laden camel they just happened to escape with. "You see, technically, we didn't steal you, that other chap, Beni, did."

"You truly destroyed He Who Shall Not Be Named? You are not lying to me?"

"I swear on my mother's grave I'm telling you the truth."

Evelyn regarded her brother with surprise. "He's telling the truth, Selket," then under her breath, "for once." 

Selket instantly assumed her previous form. Considerably subdued, she placed her scorpion back in her box and turned to face Jonathan. "I-- Egypt is in your debt. He Who Shall Not Be Named had been the scourge of this land for three thousand years. I thank you for your service."

Rick and Evelyn watched her warily as she sadly wandered the museum. Jonathan felt nothing but concern at Selket's obvious grief. Finally, she settled next to a sarcophagus and started to cry.

Jonathan sat beside her and put a consoling arm around her shoulders. "Egypt isn't what it used to be," he said gently, "the Egypt you knew, the Egypt that worshipped you and the other gods and goddesses is dead. Scholars like Evie and I, we revere your society. We're trying to protect these artifacts in museums like this so that the whole world knows what a remarkable place Ancient Egypt was."

"Jonathan, I wish to leave this-- this mu-se-um."

"Of course. I know, I'll take you to the cinema." He handed her a handkerchief to wipe the tears off her face. She accepted it gratefully. 

"What is the cin-e-ma?"

"It's a form of entertainment. Moving pictures on a screen with an organ playing music in the background. I think you'll like it. I'm afraid we'll have to leave the old girl at the house," he said, indicating the scorpion, "but I promise she'll be safe there."

Selket nodded and tried to look cheerful.

As they were leaving, Evelyn pulled her brother aside. "She can't stay here. She dangerous."

"Evie, if she wanted to hurt me she could have done so several times already. She could've killed us all a minute ago, but she didn't."

Evelyn turned to Selket. "If you hurt my brother, I'll… well, I don't know what, but you'll regret it."

To their surprise, Selket smiled. "You are brave like your brother, Evelyn. I swear he is safe with me."

*

From then on, Jonathan and Selket spent every minute together, taking walks, seeing the sights of Cairo, and making love.

Too soon, the Museum of Antiquities was repaired and the new curator was due to arrive in the next day or two. It was time for them all to go back to England. Jonathan couldn't help thinking that Selket's excitement at seeing his birthplace wasn't entirely genuine. 

When Selket was alone with him, she seemed happy and content, but whenever they ventured out, the goddess seemed uncomfortable-- almost frightened at times. The fact that Egypt had changed so much since ancient times appeared to be hitting home for her. 

As they walked along the banks of the Nile near Giza, the giant pyramids looming in the distance, Selket sighed sadly. 

Jonathan gave her hand a gentle squeeze. "What's that matter?"

"I was just thinking about the pyramids and how much I have in common with them. We're both old and useless-- mere curiosities in the modern world."

"Now, I'll not have talk like that," Jonathan said almost angrily, "you're not anything of the kind."

Selket nodded and changed the subject quickly. "Tell me more about London, you have hardly told me a thing." 

Jonathan beamed. "Well, it's just the greatest city in the world, that's all. Lots of people, very exciting. There's loads of things to do-- theatres, beautiful gardens, castles -- you'll just love the Tower of London. I can't wait to show you the Crown Jewels." 

"Is London in the desert?"

"No, darling, you see England-- London being in England-- is an island."

"No sand?"

"No," he said slowly, "but we do have a smashing river called the Thames. Not so grand as your Nile, but still... Oh yes, I suppose I should mention it's a bit colder there. Rains a lot. It'll take a bit of getting used to, but you'll get used to it...won't you?" Selket looked so forlorn, it was impossible for Jonathan to ignore the truth any longer. "You want to go home, don't you?"

She threw her arms around him and started to cry. "I am sorry." Jonathan hugged her tightly in an effort to comfort her. It took all of his will not to burst out into tears himself.

That evening after dinner, Jonathan took Rick aside. "O'Connell, old chap. It seems we need to make just one more trip to Hamunaptra."

"Excuse me?"

Jonathan hesitated. "It's Selket, she wants to go home."

O'Connell put his face in his hands.

"I promised her I'd take her, but my sense of direction isn't what it should be and besides I didn't want to have to come back by myself-- you understand." He sighed in resignation. "It's just as well. She thinks I'm some kind of decent fellow. It's just a matter of time before she sees me for the utter fraud I really am."

"Hamunaptra-- again. Sure, Jonathan," moaned Rick, "it's getting so I could find the place in my sleep."

A few days later, Jonathan, Selket, and O'Connell found themselves among the ruins of the City of the Dead. Rick hung back a little ways so the couple could say good-bye in private.

Selket put the box containing her scorpion down on the sand and wrapped her arms around Jonathan's neck for the last time. She kissed him deeply. "Jonathan, I lov--"

"Please don't say it," he pleaded. "It'll just make me feel worse than I already do."

She nodded sadly and withdrew. She picked up her scorpion and the animal quickly crawled up her arm and perched itself on top of her head. In a flash of light, Selket the Woman was replaced by Selket the Statue. The ground shook as the sands swallowed the little golden goddess.

"It's just not bloody fair," he said softly.

A few minutes later, he felt O'Connell's hand on his shoulder. "Come on, Jonathan, I'll buy you a drink."

~Finis~

   [1]: mailto:cteresa@earthlink.net



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